The student should distinctly understand that the following notes are intended to serve as an introduction to the floral characters of our grasses, and not to replace the study of the Flora. I have dealt with this section of the subject less in detail, because our best Floras give so much information that it seemed undesirable to do more than attempt to guide the reader in the recognition of the genera and principal species by means of external features easily observed by anyone with a little care. The detailed and critical examination of species, varieties and rare forms should always be done with reference to a complete Flora. CHAPTER VII. GRASSES GROUPED ACCORDING TO THEIR FLOWERS AND INFLORESCENCES. I. GRASSES WITH ONLY ONE PERFECT FLOWER IN THE SPIKELET. +(1) Inflorescence spikate[10].+ +A. Inflorescence a spike of simple spikelets.+ _Nardus stricta_, L. A tough wiry tufted moor-grass, with setaceous leaves, secund spikelets with a single rudimentary glume, and a stiff simple hairy style. (Fig. 2.) The much rarer _Mibora verna_ about three inches or so high, and _Lepturus_, both with flat leaves, also come here. Certain superficial resemblances in the habit or inflorescence in _Festuca Myurus_ and rare forms like _Spartina_, may occasionally cause hesitation until the spikelets are examined. +B. Spike with sessile or sub-sessile tufts of three or more spikelets.+ (_a_) A spike of tufted awned spikelets, in triplets at each notch of the rachis, and one or two of each triplet barren. +Hordeum.+ No other genus of our grasses is like _Hordeum_. The purely superficial resemblances in the inflorescences of _Polypogon_, _Lagurus_, and _Cynosurus echinatus_--all extremely rare species--disappear at once on examination. In _Bromus erectus_ the equally superficial resemblance is due to the stiff awns: the spikelet has six to twelve flowers and is stalked. It should also be noted that _Hordeum sylvaticum_ occasionally has a rudimentary second flower in the lateral spikelets (see note p. 105). (α) A shade-grass with the central spikelet only imperfect; staminate, or rudimentary, or entirely wanting. _H. sylvaticum_, Huds. (β) The central spikelet is the perfect one, the two lateral barren. Growing in open land. (i) _A perennial meadow-grass. All the glumes scabrid and bristle-like._ _H. pratense_, Huds. (ii) _Annuals with some of the glumes at least, lanceolate or broad below._ * _Ruderal plant, with cylindrical spikes, long awns; glumes of the central flower dilated below._ _H. murinum_, With. ** _Maritime plant, more or less glaucous, with short ovoid spikes: glumes of the central flower bristle-like._ _H. maritimum_, With.